How long do dental veneers last?

What do the studies say?

A systematic review of 25 studies, covering 6,500 ceramic veneers, estimates that at ten years 95.5% had been free of fracture, debonding and decay, and had not needed root canal treatment.

Beyond ten years, data exist but become sparser: few patients are still being followed after the eleventh year, which makes the estimates less precise. In one of the longest cohorts, 318 veneers followed for an average of almost ten years and for up to twenty, 29 had failed.

Does “in place” mean “problem-free”?

No, and this is the most useful distinction when reading a figure. Survival counts the veneers still in the mouth and functional, even if they have been repaired. Success counts only those that have needed no intervention at all.

One practice, which followed almost 1,500 veneers over ten years, composite and ceramic combined, illustrates this: just under two thirds had never needed any intervention, one sixth had been repaired and remained in place, and one sixth had been replaced. For ceramic alone, the annual failure rate was about 1.2% counting the veneers that were lost, and 2.8% counting any intervention.

In other words, over ten years it is not unusual for a veneer to need a minor intervention, such as repolishing, a touch-up or rebonding, without being lost.

Which problems are the most common?

Cracking or fracture of the ceramic comes first, followed by debonding. These occur more often in the first few years after fitting.

Problems affecting the tooth itself are rare: decay at the edge of the veneer affects fewer than one veneer in a hundred at ten years, and root canal treatment about one in a hundred. Over the years, the edge of a veneer can also become slightly stained.

What makes a veneer last?

First, the enamel. A veneer bonded to enamel holds better than one bonded to dentine: in a series of 580 veneers followed for up to twelve years, every case of debonding involved a preparation that had exposed the dentine up to the margin.

Next, the forces. In the cohort of 318 veneers mentioned earlier, failures were almost eight times more frequent in patients who clenched or ground their teeth. That is why the bite and any clenching of the teeth are assessed before the decision is made, and monitored afterwards.

The material matters too, though less than people tend to think: the review of 25 studies found fewer failures with reinforced ceramics than with feldspathic ones, two families suited to different situations.

How should veneers be looked after?

Like natural teeth: brushing, cleaning between the teeth, regular check-ups.

It is wise to avoid using your teeth as a tool, to open packaging or cut thread, and to avoid biting on hard objects. If you clench your teeth at night, a night guard can be discussed.

A check-up makes it possible to identify at an early stage a crack, an edge that is becoming stained or a bite contact that is too heavy, and to deal with them before they get worse.

What happens when a veneer reaches the end of its life?

It can be redone. When it was bonded to preserved enamel, it can in most cases be replaced on its own, without redoing the neighbouring teeth.